Belarus cracks down on journalists and publishers

Belarus cracks down on journalists and publishers as
oppressive new media laws bite, UN expert warns

GENEVA
(10 August 2018) – A wave of raids and arbitrary arrests
targeting independent publishers and journalists in Belarus
highlights oppressive new rules against internet media in
the country, says the UN Special Rapporteur on the human
rights situation in Belarus, Miklós Haraszti.

“This
action is aimed at obliterating the remnants of journalistic
independence in Belarus, and follows oppressive new laws
passed in June against independent internet media,”
Haraszti said.

On 7 and 8 August, the authorities
searched premises and blocked the operation of several
independent media outlets, among them the online portal
Tut.by, and the only independent news agency in Belarus,
BelaPAN.

At least 18 journalists were arrested,
including the Tut.by Editor-in-Chief, Maryna Zolatava, and
journalists Ulyiana Babayed, Hanna Kaltyhina and Halina
Ulasik. Belapan reporter Tatsyana Karavyanka was also
detained. Employees of the media outlets were denied access
to their offices.

The searches and arrests were
prompted by an alleged violation of the Penal Code, which
criminalises illegal access to computer information which
may cause significant harm. The new rules introduce
liability for not obtaining state licences for any web
activities, and not identifying all users, including those
on social media.

“What we are seeing is the sadly
customary bogus criminalization of independent journalists.
This may simply be a case of journalists occasionally using
each other’s passwords to access the news service of the
State-owned BelTA news agency.

“The allegation of
‘significant harm’ is disingenuous, given that BelTA is
amply financed by taxpayers and not even a fraction of its
revenues comes from subscriptions,” the Special Rapporteur
said.

Haraszti expressed particular concern about the
arrest of Ms. Karavyanka, who has regularly reported on the
Special Rapporteur’s own findings, and has closely
followed the concerns of UN human rights mechanisms
regarding the situation in Belarus.

“Silencing the
last resources enabling Belarusians to learn about the
UN’s human rights concerns is especially egregious given
the Government’s claim of cooperation with the UN,”
Haraszti said.

“It is also a blatant violation of
the country’s obligation not to oppress its citizens for
cooperating with the UN.

“In the sixth year of my
mandate, the human rights situation in Belarus is actually
getting worse. International vigilance must now be extended
to the fate of those who keep the public informed,”
Haraszti concluded.

*This statement has been endorsed
by the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection
of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Mr. David
Kaye.

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